Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-03-21

! tionary chief engaged in a great reVolu-
/ tiOpary war; that ne was no mere leader
/ in political struggle of parties carried
on within the lines of an old, well-estab-
/ lished form of government. 1t was very
clear to many ct the time, es it will be
commonly acknowledged now, that the
south could only hope to win under the
rule of q military Dictator If General
/ Washington had had Mr.. Davis over
! him, could he have accomplished what he
/ did? Il viii, | am sure, be news to many
/ th9t General Lee was given the command
over all the Confederate armies month
or two only before the final collapse, and
that the military policy Of the south was
all throughout the war dictated by Mr..
I Davis, q president OF the Confederate
States! L e had no power 10 reward
! soldiers OF promote officers. I p was Mr..
( Davis who selected the men TO command
divisions aud armies. Is il to be sup
posed that Cromwell, King William III,
/ Washington or Napoleon could have sue
/ ceeded in the revolutions with which
their names are identified, had they sub
mtted 10 the Will and authority Of a poll
itcian as Lee did to Mr. DAVIS?
Lee was opposed to the final defense of
Richmond that was urged upon him for
I political, not military reasons. II was d
great strategic error General Grants
] large srmy of men was easily fed, and is
daily losses easily recruited from nesr
/ base: whereas if it had been drawn IA
/ into the Interior after the little army with
which Lee endeavOred to protect Rich
mOnd, it's lighting strength would have
! ben largely reduced by the attachments
required to guard long line of Communi-
cations thrOugha hostile country. It is
| prOttless, however, TO speculate upon
/ what might have been, and the military
! student must take these campaigns as
/ they were carried out. No fair estimate
! of Lee as general can be made by a
/ simple comparison of what he achieved
with that which Napoleon, Wellington or
/ Won Moltke accomplished, unless due
allowance is made for the difference in
/ the nature of the American armies, and
Of the armies commanded and euCOun-
tered by those CREST leaders. They were
at the head of perfectly organized, thor
ougnly trained and well disciplined
troops; whilst Lees soldiers, though gal
liant and daring TO fault, lacked the mill
tary cohesion and efficiency, the trained
company leaders, and the educated staff,
which are only to be found in a regular
army Of long standing. a trial heat be-
tween two Jockeys mounted on unnamed
horses may be interesting, but no one
would ever quote the performance as an
instance of great racing speed.
Who shall ever fathOm the depth of
Lees anguish when the bitter end came,
and when, beaten down by sheer force of
numbers, and by absolutely nothing else,
he found himself obliged to surrender,
The handful of starving men remaining
with him laid down their arms, and the
prOund COnfedergCY ceased to be. Surely
the crushing, maddeniDg anguish of awful
sorrow is only known to the leader who
has so failed to accomplish some lofty,
some noble aim for which be has long
striyen with might and main, with heart
and sOul-in the interests of king or Of
country. A smiling face, cheerful man.
ner, may conceal the sore place from the
eyes, possibly even from the knowledge
Of his friends; but there is no h. aling for
such a wound, which eats into the very
heart of him who has once received it.
General Lee survived the destruction of
the COnfederacy for five years, when, st
the age of siXty-three, and surrounded by.
his family, life ebBed slowly from him D
Where else in history Is a great man 70 be
found whose whole life WAS one such
bIameless record of duty nObly done? 1t
was consistent in all its parts, complete in
all its relations. The most perfect gen
tlemau of state long celebrated for it's
chivalrY, he was just, gentle and gener-
Gus, and child like in the simplicity of his
character. Never elated with success,
he bore reverse, and at last complete
overthrow, with dignifed resignation.
Throughout this long and cruel struggle
his was all the responsibility, but not the
power that should have accompanied IT.
The fierce light which beats upon the
throne is as that of rush light in COM
parisOn with the electric glare which our
newspapers now focus upon the public
man in Lees position. His character
has been subjected to that ordeal, and
who can point to any spot upon it? His
clear, sound judgment, personal courage,
untiring activity, genius for war, and ab-
solute devotion to his state, mark him
out as public nan, as a patriot to be
forever remembered by all Americans.
His amiability of disposition, deep sym
psthy with those in pain or sOrrOw, his
love for children, nice sense of personal
honor and general courtesy endeared him
to all his friends. | shall never forget
his sweet, winning smile, nor his clear,
honest eyes, that seemed 70 look into
your heart whilst they searched your
of my time, but Lee alone impressed me
with the feeling that was in the presence
of man who was cast in grsnder mold,
and made of different and of fuer metal
than all other men. He IS stamped upon
my memory as being apart and superior
to ali others in every way; a man with
whom none l ever knew, and very few of
whom l have read, are worthy to be
classed. have met but two men who
realize my ideas OF what true hero
should be; nv friend Charles Gordon was
one, General Lee Was the other.
The following lines seem written for
him.
Who is the honest man.
He who doth Still and strongly good pursue,
To sod, his country himself most true;
Who when he comes TO deal
With sick fix, women, those whom passions
sway,
Allows for this and keeps his constant way.
When all the angry feelings reused by
sc accession are buried with those which
existed when the Declaration of Inde-
pendence was written, when Americans
can review the history of their last great
rebellion with calm impartisIity, believe